This book guides clinicians in facilitating the improved treatment of emotional distress in cancer patients through psychopharmacologic intervention. It is designed for both prescribing and non-prescribing clinicians in psychosocial oncology, psychiatry, psychology, oncology, and palliative care.

This practical manual presents the main drugs and protocols currently used in the psychopharmacological treatment of psychiatric disorders in cancer and palliative care settings and explores the principal issues involved in such treatment. Significant clinical challenges encountered in the psychopharmacological management of various psychiatric conditions are discussed, covering aspects such as side-effects and drug-drug interactions. Attention is also paid to the emerging theme of adjuvant use of psychotropic drugs for the treatment of symptoms or syndromes not primarily related to psychiatric disorders. In addition, practical suggestions are provided for dealing with special populations, including children and the elderly. The book is designed to be easy to read and to reference, with helpful concise tables and boxes. The authors include some of the most renowned clinicians working in the field of psycho-oncology.

Use of psychotropic drugs has come to dominate clinical practice in psychiatry worldwide—perhaps owing largely to perceived simplicity, ease of use, and apparent efficiency, as well as apparent cost-effectiveness of such treatments. Nevertheless, medicinal treatments for patients with psychiatric disorders are but one component of comprehensive clinical care of complex human problems. Extensively updated since its second edition in 1985, Chemotherapy in Psychiatry, Third Edition, again addresses basic aspects of modern psychopharmacology and clinical applications of drugs used in the treatment of major psychiatric disorders, with major emphasis on psychotic, bipolar, and depressive disorders. The presentation covers descriptions of the main classes of psychotropic drugs, selected information concerning their known action mechanisms and metabolic disposition, and their clinical applications for acute illnesses and to prevent recurrences and long-term morbidity. Also covered are limitations and adverse effects of each type of agent, with emphasis on the fact that all psychotropic medicines have adverse effects that range from annoying to potentially lethal. Chemotherapy in Psychiatry, Third Edition, outlines the need to balance benefits and risks at the level of individual persons. Authoritative, and an important contribution to the literature, Chemotherapy in Psychiatry, Third Edition is an invaluable resource for physicians, scientists, trainees, and policymakers.

In recent years, palliative care has emerged as the leading model of person-centered care focused on preserving quality of life and alleviating distress for people and families experiencing serious and life-limiting medical illness. Alongside this development has come a growing recognition of the need for expertise in psychiatric diagnosis, psychopharmacology, and psychotherapy within the interdisciplinary team of specialists tasked with identifying and addressing the varied sources of suffering in patients with advanced medical illnesses. The Clinical Manual of Palliative Care Psychiatry was written to motivate and guide readers -- whether mental health clinicians or palliative care providers -- to deepen their understanding of the psychosocial dimensions of suffering for the benefit of seriously ill patients and the support of their families. Great care has been exercised in the choice of topics and features: * Chapter content emphasizes practical aspects of assessment and management that are unique to the palliative care setting, ensuring that clinicians are equipped to address the most common challenges they are likely to face.* Each chapter ends with a list of supplemental materials -- including key publications (e.g., "Fast Facts" from the Center to Advance Palliative Care) and links to relevant modules from the Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care curriculum (e.g., EPEC for Oncology) -- aimed at extending and enhancing reader knowledge of the topics covered.* The authors provide thorough coverage of medication use, including off-label applications, which are common in palliative care.* A wealth of tables and figures present clinically relevant information in a concise and easy-to-grasp manner. Practical and brimming with essential information and useful techniques, the Clinical Manual of Palliative Care Psychiatry empowers both mental health clinicians and palliative care practitioners to more skillfully respond to psychosocial suffering in seriously ill and dying patients.

Geriatric Psycho-Oncology is a comprehensive handbook that provides best practice models for the management of psychological, cognitive, and social outcomes of older adults living with cancer and their families. Chapters cover a wide range of topics including screening tools and interventions, psychiatric emergencies and disorders, physical symptom management, communication issues, and issues specific to common cancer sites. A resource section is appended to provide information on national services and programs. This book features contributions from experts designed to help clinicians review, anticipate and respond to emotional issues that often arise in the context of treating older cancer patients. Numerous cross-references and succinct tables and figures make this concise reference easy to use. Geriatric Psycho-Oncology is an ideal resource for helping oncologists and nurses recognize when it may be best to refer patients to their mental health colleagues and for those who are establishing or adding psychosocial components to existing clinics.

"Palliative Psychology: Clinical Perspectives on an Emerging Specialty is the first book that proposes palliative psychology as a new specialty defining the roles and competencies of psychologists working in the palliative care setting in the US context. As proposed and defined in this book, palliative psychology is a specialty for licensed psychologists interested in providing psychological assessment and interventions to patients with serious and advanced illness and their family caregivers. The psychologist's involvement can begin after a diagnosis of serious illness and continue during treatment, transition of care, during the dying process, and in bereavement. This book follows the framework developed by the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, which identifies eight domains of specialist palliative care. The chapters of the book explore each of the domains, describing some of the essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes that palliative psychologists should develop to become competent palliative care professionals. Tables and clinical case vignettes are used throughout the book to illustrate important clinical aspects related to the work of palliative psychologists"--Publisher's description.

Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully provides valuable insight into the experience of patients and families living with advanced cancer and describes a novel psychotherapeutic approach to help them live meaningfully, while also facing the threat of mortality. Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully, also known by the acronym CALM, is a brief supportive-expressive intervention that can be delivered by a wide range of trained healthcare providers as part of cancer care or early palliative care. The authors provide an overview of the clinical experience and research that led to the development of CALM, a clear description of the intervention, and a manualized guide to aid in its delivery. Situated in the context of early palliative care, this text is destined to be become essential reading for healthcare professionals engaged in providing psychological support to patients and their families who face the practical and profound problems of advanced disease.